What Lukashenka said about the military rebellion in Russia. Main

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko made an appeal on June 27 during the presentation of the general’s epaulettes to the country’s top officers in the Palace of Independence. His speech was devoted to the situation around Wagner PMC in Russia, its impact on Belarus and the threat to world security against the backdrop of the global crisis. Vedomosti cites key quotes.

Lukashenka noted that he needed to “make it clear” against the backdrop of the appearance of “stuffing and insinuations.” “I will not hide, it was painful to watch the events that took place in the south of Russia. Not only me. Many of our citizens took them to heart. <...> Considering the role of Belarus in resolving this situation, I must say a few words in this circle about what happened and explain our position and the decisions taken,” he said (quotes on the Pool of the First Telegram channel).

The President said that when he became aware of the armed rebellion that had begun in Russia, he gave the order to put the army on alert. “The army during the afternoon, all the Armed Forces, including the police, special forces, were put on full combat readiness,” he said.

The head of Belarus also shared how he assesses his role in the process of a peaceful settlement of the situation in Russia. “I said: in no case do not make a hero out of me, neither of me, nor of Putin, nor of Prigozhin, because we missed the situation, and then we thought that it would resolve, but it did not resolve. And two people who fought at the front collided. There are no heroes in this case,” he stressed.

Lukashenka added that if Russia collapses, “we will remain under the rubble, we will all die.” In his opinion, if the crisis situation in Russia continued to develop, then “the West would immediately take advantage of this.”

The President of Belarus also recalled the threat of a global crisis. “The threat of a new global conflict has never been as close as it is today.<…> Today we clearly see a new wave of NATO expansion and an unprecedented build-up of the potential of the countries – members of the alliance in the region, including in the immediate vicinity of our borders. Demonstration after demonstration is a demonstration of strength,” he said.

The President said that the collective West is trying to mislead about its real plans and intentions, and the attempts of Russia and Belarus to start peace negotiations are called “diplomatic imitation” there.

Also, according to him, the country’s border service authorities almost daily record various provocations on the state border: “from tossing corpses to deliberate drone flights” on the territory of Belarus.

“At the same time, the construction of walls and barriers on the border, its fortification equipment, and mining from the Ukrainian side continue,” Lukashenka added.

He also noted the increased activity of the Belarusian opposition abroad against the backdrop of an attempted rebellion in Russia.

“<…> And our fugitives began to fuss. True, there was a false start. They strive to demonstrate to their curators the presence of at least some results. 250 million must be received. Only there they will divide, and these madmen of ours, of whom there are still a few left here, we have not cleared out – they will not receive anything. Again they will be cannon fodder,” Lukashenka said.

“Our generation” is going “through a test of strength,” the president said. According to him, this generation “was given the mission to preserve the world conquered by millions of lives of heroes, our fathers and grandfathers.” “This means only one thing – we must be stronger than the threat that again hangs like a shadow over our land. And again from the West. As you can see, history repeats itself,” Lukashenka stressed.

It is important to emphasize the unity of the ranks and devotion to the Fatherland, he believes. “And our Fatherland is from Brest to Vladivostok. This is land, freedom and our peoples who live here. Two states, but we have a common Fatherland,” said the President of Belarus. According to him, Belarusians know how to defend their land, they will be “stronger than any challenge.”

On June 24, Wagner fighters took control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don and blockaded the city. From the Wagner special operation zone led by its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin moved towards Moscow. Before that, Prigozhin accused the Ministry of Defense of attacking the rear camps of the company. The Ministry of Defense called his statements a provocation.

On the evening of June 24, after negotiations with Lukashenka, Prigozhin announced that he had decided to stop the movement towards Moscow and return to the rear camps of PMCs. According to him, “Wagner” did not reach 200 km to Moscow.

How declared Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as a result of negotiations, an agreement was reached that the criminal case initiated against Prigozhin would be terminated, and he himself would “leave for Belarus.” He explained the termination of the criminal case “by the will of the president to prevent the development of events according to the worst scenario.”